Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Cinnamon apple pie

A classic cinnamon apple pie with a slightly different crust - it uses cream cheese for a slightly tangy flavor. This is one apple pie that you'll want to add to your baking rotation!

I remember being overwhelmed at Thanksgiving last year. My husband's aunt is a phenomenal pie maker and had 4 different types of pie for dessert: cherry, pumpkin, pecan and apple. The apples came from her backyard and the cherries from her cherry tree. She truly is a gem.

With so many choices, what did I end up picking? Apple. There's just something about a classic apple pie that I can't resist. What can I say? I love sweet pies. I'm not a nut fan, so pecan wasn't the best choice for me. And I'm not a huge fan of tart cherries so I didn't choose that one either.

I've made plenty of apple pies before (see here, here, here and here), but I wanted to try another one. What's one more, right? The crust on this pie was intriguing - it uses cream cheese. I was skeptical at first but then realized that the cream cheese was the secret ingredient that made this crust pretty awesome. It provided a tiny bit of tang and kept the crust together.

The apple filling was wonderful, as expected, and I could hardly believe that 3 pounds of apples fit into my dish. I let my filling sit for a few hours in the refrigerator to marinate a bit, and during that time the apple slices soaked up their own juices and the cinnamon sugar mixture.

This apple pie was love at first bite. Both my husband and I really enjoyed it and would definitely make it again.

Cinnamon apple pieCrust

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 sticks (12 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, COLD

6 ounces cream cheese

3 Tablespoons cold water

Filling

3 pounds (about 9 cups) apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

squeeze of a lemon

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Topping

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DirectionsMake the crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt together until well mixed. Add in the butter and cream cheese and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand (it should be a bit clumpy). Add in the water and pulse until a dough ball forms.

Divide the dough in 2 and roll each half out to a large circle. Cover in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days in advance.

Once the dough has chilled completely, roll out one of the dough circles large enough to cover a 9" pie pan. Place it in the pan and fold any excess under the edge of the pan. Place back in the refrigerator and chill for at least another 15 minutes.

Make the filling: Toss the apples with the sugars, lemon, cinnamon and salt. Then add the flour and mix well. Allow the filling to sit for at least 15 minutes and mix it at least once.

Assemble and bake the pie: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Take the pie crust out of the refrigerator and transfer the apple mixture (including the juices) into the pan. Smooth out the top. Roll out the other piece of dough so it's large enough to cover the top of the pie. Tuck any excess dough underneath and pinch the top and bottom crusts together to seal. If desired, flute or crimp the edges for a nicer look.

Sprinkle the top of the pie with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Cut 6-8 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake in your preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then turn down the oven to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Pie needs to rest for 2-3 hours to fully set. It can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days or a few additional days if stored in the refrigerator.

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